Talk:electrocute

Use in "other than death" cases of electric shock

In virtually all reliable dictionaries that I have seen, "electrocution" means death by electric shock. It's origin is "electricity" merged with "execution" to give "electrocution". It is often misused but that is not the same as an alternate definition. "Infamous" is also misused to mean "more than famous" but that does not give credence to that improper use. Dictionaries exist because words mean certain things and the dictionary should not be the leading edge giving credence to misnomers. It should be the last place to change and accept such things. A person that has been "electrocuted" is dead, not injured, and we shouldn't be the place people are getting the idea that it is okay to use an incorrect definition. --DHeyward (talk) 22:31, 24 August 2016 (UTC)

We are descriptive, not prescriptive. We do mark this usage as non-standard. Equinox ◑ 22:37, 24 August 2016 (UTC)

I've just put "proscribed" on it to make this stronger. Equinox ◑ 22:37, 24 August 2016 (UTC)